Faculty Research Profiles

Laurence Miller, PhD

Research Subject Area: Experimental Psychology

Current Projects: I am currently engaged in research on two topics within the broader field of experimental psychology. One project examines pain-related disruption of behavior and variables impacting the ability to drugs to treat this clinically-relevant consequence of pain. The other project uses techniques from the experimental analysis of behavior to examine the role of musical variables such as tonality and meter in an operant choice model of music preference.

ContactDr. Laurence Millerfor more information on this research.

Tuong Vy Cac Nguyen, PhD

Research Subject Area: Social Psychology

Current Projects: My research program examines the perspective of majority and marginalized individuals through three interrelated lines of research that focus on how the experiences of being stigmatized influence individuals’ health and well-being, how the intersectionality of identities (e.g., being a Black woman versus a Black man) influence individuals’ experiences, and how marginalized individuals view members of the majority and other marginalized individuals.

ContactDr. Vy Nguyenfor more information on this research.

Tadd Patton, PhD and Sabina Widner, PhD

Research Subject Area:Childhood adversity and well-being in adulthood

Current Projects: Our research program examines the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their apparent negative effect on the psychological and physical well-being that emerges in adulthood. Despite a rapidly growing body of literature supporting a link between ACEs and later health issues, the nature of these relationships remains unclear. To gain a deeper understanding of this issue, we are investigating if and how several variables, including benevolent childhood experiences, gender, coping, and perceived stress, may be involved.

ContactDr. Tadd PattonorDr. SabinaWidner for more information about getting involved in this lab.

Deborah Richardson, PhD

Research Subject Area:Social Psychology

Current Projects: The Mindset and Motivation lab examines the effects of student and instructor mindset and motivation in the context of higher education. One program of research considers how students' perceptions of faculty mindset affect their expectations for a course, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging. Another program focuses on the relationship of student motivation to persistence in STEM majors.

ContactDr. Deborah Richardsonfor more information on this research.

Jenelle Slavin-Mulford, PhD

Research Subject Area:1) Personality Assessment especially through the use of dreams, early memories, and other narrative data; 2) Psychotherapy Process and Outcome

Current Projects:

(1) Assessing an individual’s early memories, dreams, and other narratives to answer questions about an individual’s personality. (2) Exploring whether the Thematic Apperception Test (a story telling task and the second most popular performance-based personality assessment) can be administered online without a reduction in validity. (3) Examining how a therapist’s personality impacts the process and outcome of psychotherapy.

ContactDr. Jenelle Slavin-Mulfordfor more information on this research.

Ric Topolski, PhD

Research Subject Area: Experimental Psychology

Current Projects: Dr. Topolski is currently working on writing up past projects. His research topics include but are not limited to visual processing, training outcomes, medical outcomes, and moral reasoning.

ContactDr. Ric Topolskifor more information on this research.

Sabina Widner, PhD

Research Subject Area: Resilence Lab

Current Projects: Examination of the relationship between a number of predictors including resilience on adjustment to college in first time freshmen students. Other variables under study include perceived stress, social support, distress tolerance, and a sense of college belongingness.

ContactDr. Sabina Widnerfor more information on this research.

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Faculty Research Profiles

Laurence Miller, PhD

Research Subject Area: Experimental Psychology

Tuong Vy Cac Nguyen, PhD

Tadd Patton, PhD and Sabina Widner, PhD

Deborah Richardson, PhD

Jenelle Slavin-Mulford, PhD

Ric Topolski, PhD

Sabina Widner, PhD